When John Denver crooned “Rocky Mountain High” in 1972, he wasn’t exaggerating; Colorado has 58 peaks that soar above than 14,000 feet, more than any other state or province in North America. Its snow-capped mountains are only half the story; the the Centennial State is home to four national parks (Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and Black Canyon) and nine national monuments that showcase an astonishing diversity of terrain, from golden dunes to thundering river gorges and protected human-made wonders that date back thousands of years.
Whether you’re planning a Colorado road trip or thinking ahead to ski season, these are seven of the best national parks and monuments to visit in Colorado.
Rocky Mountain National Park
With views like these, it’s no wonder Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the country.
Photo by Phanom Nuangchomphoo/Shutterstock
Come for: Iconic Colorado peaks and valleys
Price: $15 per person or $30 per car
Of all the Colorado national parks, Rocky Mountain is probably the most famous. Here, moose graze in valleys, elk leap across streams, and trails snake up jagged granite peaks taller than 12,000 feet and more than 130 million years old. No wonder RMNP (as locals call it) received 4.18 million visitors in 2025, according to National Park Service data, making it the sixth most popular national park in the country.
Most visitors start their explorations in the central area of Beaver Meadows and Moraine Park, while the west side of the park (Grand Lake entrance) has quieter appeal. Stay in woodsy Grand Lake to spot elk in Coyote Valley, summit Longs Peak (one of Colorado’s 14ers), go horseback riding, or test your rock climbing skills on the 12,800-foot Mount Ida. One of the main attractions is a scenic drive along Trail Ridge Road, which crosses the Continental Divide, passing moose, marmots, birch trees, and alpine lakes along the way.
To visit Rocky Mountain National Park from May 22, 2026, through October 12, 2026, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., you’ll need a reservation. Reservations must be made on recreation.gov and are released on the first of each month at 7 p.m. MDT.
Where to stay
If you’re up for roughing it, there are five campgrounds in the park, as well as plenty of hotels and vacation rental options in Estes Park, like the Stanley Hotel (the historic, real-life inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining) and the modern Estes Park Resort. Century-old C Lazy U Ranch is a family-friendly ranch hotel 20 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park, where guests can learn to ride horses and indulge in an impressive wine list and s’mores.
Related: The 17 Best Things to Do in Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Come for: Dune sledding and sandboarding
Price: $15 per person or $25 per car
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is one of the nation’s more underrated national parks. But for those who make the effort to get here, it’s an incredible sight: The Great Sand Dunes sit with the white-capped Sangre de Cristo range behind them, left behind by a prehistoric lake more than 1 million years ago.
And yes, you can hike the dunes—High Dune and Star Dune are two favorites—then sand sled or sandboard down. First-timers should start close to the visitor center parking lot, while aficionados can head for tallest dunes at the Point of No Return parking lot.
When the snow melts in spring, seasonal Medano Creek emerges from the mountains and winds between the dunes, creating a beach where families build sandcastles and swimmers sunbathe until the late summer sun dries up the flow.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a certified International Dark Sky Park, and in August and September, parkgoers have a good chance of seeing the Milky Way and constellations like Corona Borealis and Virgo. Pack your binoculars and a red light (not a white flashlight, which can hurt nocturnal animals’ sensitive eyes) and enjoy unparalleled stargazing. In summer, the NPS also hosts occasional night programming in the park.
Where to stay
If you have your own camping gear, you can stay the night at Piñon Flats Campground within the park or several hike-in, backpacking campgrounds. (Note: Advance reservations for Piñon Flats sites and permits for backcountry camping are needed.) Just outside the park is private campsite Ramble, where you bring your tent and they supply a canvas shelter, stove, and grill (as well as a tidy bathhouse).
One of the coolest and most comfortable places to stay near Great Sand Dunes is Frontier Drive-Inn, 40 minutes away. A restored midcentury drive-in, the outdoor movie theater still hosts screenings and now has cozy, modern yurts, suites, and vintage trailers, kitted out with Pendleton blankets, mattresses and linens from Parachute, and colorful Southwestern rugs.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The 180-mile Gunnison River snakes along ancient craggy canyons at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash
Come for: Dramatic crevasses that rival the Grand Canyon
Price: $15 per person or $25 per car
Slicing through marbled rock walls, the Gunnison River carved a canyon so deep that, at its narrowest point, sunlight reaches the bottom for only half an hour a day. Come to this part of western Colorado to stare into the depths from Dragon Point, Devil’s Lookout, and other viewpoints along the South Rim Drive of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park or to walk the Chasm View nature trail on the north rim. There are no maintained hiking trails into the canyon, although experienced hikers with wilderness permits venture down unmarked routes.
Designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is an ideal place for losing yourself in a star-studded sky. Gaze up at them while camping in the park, or come in September for Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s annual astronomy festival, held each September (2026 date to be announced).
Where to stay
Black Canyon of the Gunnison has several campgrounds within the park as well as three-room guesthouse the Stone House Inn, 20 minutes away in Crawford . If you don’t mind the drive, there are several good options a hour away in Ouray, including the 140-year-old, 14-room Beaumont Hotel & Spa (ages 16 and up) and the 16-suite Western Ouray, which has its original 1891 saloon.
Mesa Verde National Park
You can visit Cliff Palace, one of Mesa Verde’s most striking and well-preserved examples of a cliff dwelling, on a guided tour.
Photo by Kris Wiktor/Shutterstock
Come for: Learning about the Ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde
Price: $15 per person or $20 or $30 per car depending on dates
The Ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde, like other Native Americans who inhabited Canyon de Chelly and other Arizona sites, carved their dwellings in the protective shadow of cliffs, constructing elaborate, multi-level communities high above the canyon floor.
Today, Mesa Verde National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage site—protects more than 4,000 such ruins dating as far back as 650 C.E. While you can see the most spectacular dwellings from viewpoints on Mesa Loop Road, you can only enter Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House on ranger-led tours (available early May to late October). Petroglyph Point Trail offers excellent hiking, views of red rock canyons, and a chance to see some of the park’s best Indigenous artwork.
Where to stay
Mesa Verde has one campground and a lodge (Far View Lodge) inside the park. Twenty minutes away in Mancos is Majestic Dude Ranch, which has comfortable cabins and suites. Seventy-five minutes away in Durango, you’ll have plenty of choices. Consider historic hotels such as the Strater, the Rochester Hotel, or the Gable House.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument has the largest concentration of archaeological sites in the USA, with pueblos from around 1200 C.E.
Courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management
Come for: More archaeological sites than any other U.S. park
Price: Free
Most visitors are surprised to discover that Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, 12 miles from Mesa Verde, has more archaeological sites containing Native American sites and artifacts than any other park in the country—8,300 are scattered across its rugged 176,000 acres. Wander through the historic site’s star attraction, the 40-room Lowry Pueblo with its eerily well-preserved great kiva ceremonial room, then try your hand at weaving, corn grinding, and archaeological identification at the interactive Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum.
Where to stay
Only backcountry camping is allowed in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. To mingle with your fellow travelers, consider the tidy Dolores Bike Hostel—more like a guesthouse—half an hour from Canyon of the Ancients. Otherwise, book anywhere you’d stay to visit Mesa Verde National Park—Majestic Dude Ranch in Mancos, or one of the historic hotels an hour away in Durango, such as the bed-and-breakfast Gable House.
Dinosaur National Monument
Come for: Fossils and water sports
Price: $15 or $25 per car
If you’ve ever wanted to see—and touch—gigantic dinosaur bones jutting out of the rock where they were found, head to this national monument in western Colorado. At Dinosaur National Monument, which spans the Colorado–Utah border, visitors can also swim, kayak, and explore Echo Park, the area where the Yampa and Green rivers meet and loop around Steamboat Rock in an almost perfect horseshoe bend. Note that you can enter the site in Colorado at the Canyon Visitor Center (open late spring through early fall) but all dinosaur fossils are on the Utah side.
Where to stay
There are several developed campgrounds in Dinosaur National Monument, as well as backcountry camping by permit. Dinosaur Monument is a certified International Dark Sky Park, and those who stay past sunset will be rewarded with some incredible stargazing. If you prefer four walls and a mattress, you’ll find TownePlace Suites by Marriott and SpringHill Suites by Marriott 20 minutes away in Vernal.
Browns Canyon National Monument
The Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado protects a some of Colorado’s upper Arkansas River Valley and is known for its whitewater rafting.
Courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management
Come for : Whitewater rafting and wildlife viewing
Price: Free, $10–$15 depending on where you park
Established in 2015, Browns Canyon National Monument is best known for whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River, which tumbles over Class IV and V rapids with names like Pinball and Seidel’s Suckhole. The 22,000-acre park’s rugged terrain also offers prime wildlife viewing: Hike the Turret Trail to spot black bear fishing the river, bighorn sheep jousting on rocky outcrops, and falcons and eagles gliding on the canyon’s updrafts.
Where to stay
You can go camping (reservations required), or you could avail yourself of two stand-out boutique accommodation options nearby: the riverfront Surf Hotel 20 minutes away in Buena Vista and retro Amigo Motor Lodge in Salida, half an hour from Browns Canyon.
Related: How to Avoid the Crowds in Colorado’s Ski Towns—From Aspen to Quiet Mountain Resorts
This article was originally published in 2019 and most recently updated on May 22, 2026, with current information. Jessie Beck, Bailey Berg, and Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.
